How to pronounce meretricious
Say it like mer-ih-TRISH-us. Meretricious has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (TRISH).
Click the play button next to American to hear how to pronounce meretricious. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- mer
- ih
- TRISH
- us
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Meretricious pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- merGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- ihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- TRISHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- usKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
What does meretricious mean?
- Tastelessly gaudy; superficially attractive but having in reality no value or substance; falsely alluring.
- Involving unlawful sexual connection or lack of consent by at least one party (said of a romantic relationship).
Where does meretricious come from?
From Latin meretrīcius, from meretrīx (“harlot, prostitute”), from mereō (“earn, deserve, merit”) (English merit) + -trīx (“(female agent)”) (English -trix).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with meretricious
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of meretricious.
Questions about saying meretricious
How do you pronounce meretricious?
Say mer-ih-TRISH-us. The American pronunciation is /ˌmɛrɪˈtrɪʃəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in meretricious?
Meretricious has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (TRISH). Broken into parts: mer · ih · TRISH · us.